Seven Years Later
by KeiraMax
Summary: The Flock separates and "coincidentally" meets up where they last saw each other, seven years ago. Read to see what they have become!
1. Goodbye

**[First Story!]**

**[I don't own Maximum Ride or any of its characters, although I wish I did. I only own the plot and some new characters. Enjoy!]**

**By the way! I've read an older fanfic quite similar to mine but I PROMISE that I didn't copy it. Just clarifying.**

**HERE GOES.  
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"Max, don't you just love Iggy?" Angel asked teasingly. I was going to say no, but something made me change my mind. "Uh, yeah! I mean, who wouldn't?" I rubbed my temples. I didn't want to say that, but I did. What was going on?! Then I said involuntarily, "I love him so much." I said then I grabbed his hand. Again, involuntarily. Iggy was taken aback that he backed away from me and asked in a shocked and concerned tone, "Max, are you okay?" I was shaking my head. I was so confused. I don't even remember what just happened.

My eyebrows were knit together in confusion while I asked what was going on. Angel and Nudge laughed. "Oh, you just confessed your love for Iggy." Nudge said then she laughed like a maniac. My eyes widened in disbelief, while Iggy blushed. "I – I didn't! What – what.. what are you talking about?!" I asked them. Nudge, Angel and Gazzy laughed. "Nice one, Max." Gazzy said. I couldn't believe them. Why won't they believe me?! I didn't say that! I was really angry. They were laughing at me for something I didn't do! Angel stopped laughing when she saw me leave the cave and leap off. "Max! We're sorry!" I heard Angel yell but I also heard Nudge and Gazzy still laughing. I didn't come back. They didn't believe me – why should I? I know this doesn't sound like me at all, but I didn't care.

I found a small crack at the side of a canyon. I sat there and collapsed in tears. What happened to me?! Why did I leave the flock? Why am I crying? I don't know. All I know is that Angel, Iggy and Fang were yelling my name while I cried here vulnerably. What was going on?

*Fang's POV*

I was rolling a small piece of rock on my hand when I heard Angel ask Max, "Max, don't you just love Iggy?" she asked her teasingly. I knew Max was going to ask in what way, but instead she said, "Uh, yeah! I mean, who wouldn't?" I dropped the rock I was holding and looked at Max. She was rubbing her temples and her forehead was creased in confusion. I wanted to ask her what was going on and hold her tight, but I knew she would explain. Somehow..

"I love him so much." Max said. I stared at her in utter disbelief. She sounded like she meant every word and then she grabbed Iggy's hand. She loved Iggy and now I know it, I thought to myself sadly. Iggy pulled his hand away and asked Max, "Max, are you okay?" She just shook her head like she was shaking off a bad spirit. She looked more confused than ever and asked us what happened. Nudge and Angel looked at each other then laughed. "Oh, you just confessed your love for Iggy." Nudge said then she was laughing like crazy. Max looked so annoyed and confused while Iggy blushed. They didn't seem to notice me observing them. Not a shocker. "I – I didn't! What – what.. what are you talking about?!" Max stuttered. She was going to blow and I know it. Gazzy joined in the laughter. "Nice one, Max." He said. Max was so angry and annoyed that she left the cave and flew. I tried to follow her but by the time I got outside, I couldn't see her anymore. "Max! We're sorry!" Angel yelled to Max, but Nudge and Gazzy were still laughing.

"Max!" I yelled. This is no good. It seemed like Max is never coming back. "Max!" I yelled harder. I kicked a piece of rock in anger. Iggy and Angel were with me, yelling Max's name too. I rubbed my forehead and went back to the cave, followed by Angel and Iggy. I would never be able to confess to Max how I really feel about her, how I feel when she beats the hell out of an Eraser, when she leaps off and unfurls her beautiful tan wings, when she looks at me with her gorgeous brown eyes and when she lays her head on the ground and closes her eyes and breathe. I thought about her when she smiles at me, making me wish that this wouldn't be the last day I would see her. I'm going to have to move on.

Back in the cave, Angel looked so guilty and sad. She buried her face in her hands murmuring "It's all my fault" over and over again. I went over to her and put my arms around her. "It's my fault, Fang!" she said in a loud voice. "No it's not. Max is just humorless." I said. That wasn't true but I had to comfort Angel. I hoped she wasn't reading my mind. Angel shook her head and said, "Fang – you don't understand." I was beginning to be confused. She took a deep breath and wiped off her tears. "I told her to say the things she said about Iggy and made her forget it in her mind. I did it to tease you. I know you like her, Fang." She said in a soft and fast manner. My mouth hung open and my eyes seemed like they were going to pop out of their sockets. "Angel, how could you?" I asked, in a tone louder that it should be. She cried more. Way to go. "Look, I'm sorry. But Angel, you shouldn't have done that. We can't find Max. Heaven knows where she went." I paused, taking a breath then I continued, "Can you hear her thoughts?" I asked. She nodded. "I could, but she's trying really hard not to think. She knows we're looking for her and she doesn't want to be found." She looked down sulkily. "We'll find her." I said, but I didn't believe it. If anyone can hide, it's Max. Suddenly, Angel stood up and whispered something to Gazzy. Gazzy's eyes lit up and he nodded. "Angel? What's going on?" Nudge asked. I watched them to see what's going on. "Well – "Angel said uneasily, looking down on the hard and rocky cave floor. "I know where my parents are. And I want to be with them. Gazzy wants to come." She said. I wasn't letting her go off on her own so I said, "No." Angel, Gazzy and Nudge looked at me. Then Iggy caught up and looked at me too. "Why?" Angel asked in a sad tone. I took a deep breath. "Max wouldn't let you go. Besides, you won't know what you will encounter." I said. Angel's face was suddenly shivering. She was going to cry. Oh no. "Why not? What's going to happen to us now that Max is not here? We have searched for our parents a lot of times and we failed! Now that I know where my parents are, you won't let me go?" Angel said in a loud tone. I have never seen her so rebellious before. She sounded so desperate to see her parents. "Yes, I AM desperate!" she yelled. Gazzy was frightened. I think he wants to listen to me, but he wants to stay with Angel too. "How do you know it's really your parents? What if they won't like you?" I asked in a loud tone. Angel took a deep breath and said, "I saw them and they looked like me and Gazzy. I listened to their thoughts and they were thinking of adopting a child since their last two children were kidnapped." She said in a really angry tone then suddenly, Angel grabbed Gazzy's hand and she left the cave and flew off. I ran outside and tried to follow her, but I held myself back. If this is what they want, then I'm giving it. I don't care what Max thinks. I won't be able to see her anyway. I took a deep breath and went back inside. I looked at Nudge and Iggy and they had a solemn face. "Fang – Iggy and I got into thinking. Angel, Gazzy and Max are already gone, then we're out of here too." Nudge said. Iggy stood up and they both left. I watched them go, farther and farther away.

I was the only one in this cave. I was the last one to leave. The flock separated and went in different ways. This would probably be the last day we would ever see each other.

There is no more Flock.

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**Kind of dramatic for a first chapter, don't you think? Or not really? Review please! Thanks. ;)**


	2. Unbelievable

**Alright. Second Chapter! Hope you'll like it! R&R! :)**

**Criticism and compliments are both welcome!**

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SEVEN YEARS LATER.

"Meal number two!" I yelled. I got the other people's orders and gave them to the chef. The usual thing I do. I used to be the cleaner in this diner, but they saw how fast I work and promoted me. Work is so boring. I yawned a bit. I get the night shift so I'm used to staying up late, but today, I was pretty tired. I don't know why. The rest of my shift was just the same, nothing happened except maybe there were a few guys flirting with me. Or I was just imagining it. I left the diner at around eleven o'clock and headed back to my apartment. Life in the normal world is so boring. I don't know why I wanted to quit my usual save the world life. But I did.

That got me thinking. I stopped in my tracks and ran towards a lone area. I stretched my wings and it hurt. They were so stiff. I haven't flown for at least three months. I was too busy to fly around. Yeah, I know that doesn't sound like me at all but a girl has to do what a girl has to do. I leaped off the earth and flew.

God! I missed flying! I forgot how it feels like to be in the air where no one could stop you, where the world seems like strawberries! It was a relief to fly around.

I think I was flying for at least two hours because I was in the air for a pretty long time. I reached the place I was heading to and collapsed when I saw it.

Our cave. The flock's cave. The place where we last saw each other, where we were torn apart. I can't help but think that it was all my fault. If I hadn't left, maybe the others hadn't too. As soon as I saw the cave, now a historical monument to me, I had sudden flashbacks of the flock's laughter. Fang's laughter. I hadn't thought about his name in a while. I wondered what had happened to them. I took a deep breath and went inside.

The cave looks just like the last time I saw it. I touched the area where Fang had slept and rubbed off some dirt. I found a black feather and picked it up. It was a feather from his wings. I put it in my pocket to make sure it wouldn't be lost.

"Max?! Is that you?!" a voice yelled. I looked to see who it was and my mouth fell open as soon as I saw her.

Nudge, all grown up. She looked so beautiful and tall. Her smile brightened up my night, although I got a little conscious of myself. She ran towards me and hugged me. I hugged her back. "I can't believe I found you!" she said in my shoulder. I couldn't believe this. It was like a dream. I never knew I would be able to see her again. She stopped hugging me and said, "Wait! I'll call Iggy. He's, well, my husband." Nudge said in a nervous tone. My eyes widened and my mouth fell open. "Max, I'm sorry! I know you like him, but he lived with me when the flock separated." I rolled my eyes. "I told you! I don't like _like_ him!" I said. She laughed. "Alright. The past is past." She said in a mocking tone. I rolled my eyes again. Nudge pulled out a cell phone from her bag and dialed a number. "Hey, hun? Remember our cave? Max is here! Come here okay? See you! Muah!" she said."Wow, Nudge. You're married already." I said, disbelief in my voice. _Even before I did_, I thought. She chuckled. "Well, what can I say? A big Hollywood star can't stay single forever you know? And we can't help being madly in love." She said. Hollywood? "Nudge you're an actress?! Your dream came true! I'm so happy for you!" I said while I was hugging her. She laughed. "Don't you watch television? I am like, the biggest thing right now!" she said. I laughed. "I'll try to buy one when I get enough money." I chuckled. "What do you do for a living? Any boyfriends?" she asked while wiggling her eyebrows. I laughed again. "No. I work in a diner, the only diner that actually let me work there. It's not a hard job, but the salary sucks! I could barely buy anything with it. I spend it on food, new jeans, rent and sometimes, things to pamper myself with. But that doesn't happen often." I said and let out a deep breath. Nudge looked sympathetic. "Oh. Your life is so hard, isn't it? No one is there to support you. Want to come live with me and Iggy?" she asked. I wanted to accept, but I wouldn't want to be a distraction to them. "No thanks, Nudge." I said. She smiled. "You're Max, alright." She said with a laugh. "Hey, have you seen anyone else from the flock?" she asked. I shook my head. "No. I'm really sorry for leaving you. I didn't know what came over me." I said. She smiled. "Past is past, Max." She patted my shoulder. Wow, it seemed like a dream, a miracle, to be able to see any of the flock.

"Max! Hey old buddy! Look at you! I can't recognize you anymore!" Iggy said. I grinned happily. Half of the flock was here, half was still missing. "Hey Ig!" I said, then we hugged. "You look so mature! Handsome, I must admit." I said. Nudge laughed. "Too late! He's mine, Max!" Nudge said. I laughed like I have never laughed before. Iggy put his arm around Nudge and they sat down. I followed. "So, Ig, what do you do for a living now that you're all grown up?" I asked. He thought for a while then said, "I'm an actor too. I'm supporting my girl here." He said and Nudge blushed. I smiled. They were so happy together. We continued talking about our lives and we shared laughs too. It was the best night of my life so far since we separated. I saw two silhouettes near the cave entrance and saw a boy and a girl smiling at me. "Max! Nudge! Iggy!" They yelled. I stood up and ran over to them. "Oh, Angel! I missed you so much! You too Gazzy!" I smiled. They did too. They were so grown up! Angel was so pretty and Gazzy was so dashing. It was great to see them. It was such a coincidence we all went here at the same nights. Angel laughed. "That was me." I grinned really happily. I hugged her. "Don't worry. Fang's coming here, any minute now." She informed us. My heart skipped a beat when Angel said his name. I can't help but admit to myself that he was the only reason I don't have a boyfriend yet. I let out a deep breath. Angel giggled. "So it wasn't Iggy you fell in love with!" she said. Nudge asked what was going on, but Angel asked me if I could tell her. Nudge was begging so I told Angel to tell Nudge only. They giggled and then Nudge grabbed me. "Max! Why didn't you say so? Fang likes you too, silly!" she said. My eyes widened in disbelief and I wanted to say, "Yippee!" but I kept a straight face and said, "Not true." I wished that it was though. She laughed. "I'm telling him when he comes back!" she said. "No!" I yelled. "Please don't tell him." I begged Nudge. She rolled her eyes. "Honey, your love life is never going to advance if you never tell him." She said. I looked down and said, "Then maybe I don't want it to." I said in a hushed tone. Nudge left me and suddenly, a warm hand grabbed my shoulder and turned me to face whoever he was.

Fang! "Hey,Max." He said. My mouth hung open and I was staring at him. Nudge and Angel's coughing snapped me out. I didn't even realize that I started to drool. Fang chuckled. I smiled back. "Hey." I said. Alright. I'm going to admit to myself what I think about Fang right now. I think he's more mature, different and.. exceedingly handsome. His black eyes were blacker than ever but I swear I saw a light in it. Angel giggled. I gave her a look that meant, "Tell anyone and you're dead." She just smiled. I let out a deep breath when Fang grabbed my wrist and pulled me to sit down beside him. Pushy, much? I put my head on his shoulder and he put his arm around my waist. Why am I doing this? I let out a really deep breath and I promised myself that I would tell Fang how I feel about him. Later. "So Fang, what do you do for a living?" Nudge asked him. Fang thought for a minute and said, "I'm in school. A nice couple actually adopted me, so I don't work yet. I have pretty good grades and I'm catching up with the normal life. Oh, and I'm currently in a relationship." He said. I sat straight and asked, "What kind of relationship? I'm curious." I said in a voice that they knew was trying too hard to stay calm. "Actually, I have a girlfriend." He said. I bet you knew that it felt more painful that broken ribs or being experimented. Yeah, it was _that_ painful. It made every other pain look like paradise.

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**Was anything confusing? Please review! :)**


	3. Golden Night

**Alright! I got a few reviews so thanks guys! You deserve a cookie. :) I hope you like my new chapter and it's the longest one yet! Don't forget to review!**

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"A girlfriend?" Nudge asked. I swallowed and kept a straight face. Fang has a girlfriend – and it's not me. Of course not, why would I even think that? It's been seven years and we're bound to get a partner. Fang pressed his lips together and raised his eyebrows and shrugged. "Yep." He said. "Don't you have a boyfriend, Max?" he asked me. I looked down and swallowed. "Uh, no." Was all I was able to say. Fang mouthed the word "Oh" and then Nudge looked at me sympathetically. I shrugged. We continued talking about our lives since we separated, but I couldn't participate. Fang has a _girlfriend_. Those four words played in my mind like an endless song. I couldn't listen to anyone else's voice but I tried eventually. "What's her name?" Nudge asked enthusiastically. Fang thought for while and then said. "Her name's Tracy and she's gorgeous." He said in a tone I have never heard him before. It was a tone of wonder, love and fantasy. I was feeling weird. I felt sad, angry and somewhat hurt. Angel put on a sad face and I heard her voice in my head. _I'm sorry Max. It's my fault you said those things about Iggy during the time you left and I made you forget it. I'm sorry. And by the way, you're feeling jealous. _My mouth fell open and my eyes went wide. _Its okay, Angel. And I am NOT jealous!_ I said in my head. I heard her giggle. I rolled my eyes. "Uh, Max? Is the Voice back?" Fang asked. "Sort of." I said. Fang continued talking about his wonderful girlfriend and my stomach was tighter than a knot. Fang's expression while talking about "the love of his life" was killing me! He looked so happy and obviously in love. I don't know what happened to him. "And she wears this really tight –" I cut him off and said, "You guys want to have a reunion dinner? We could eat at the diner I work for." I suggested. Nudge laughed. "Thanks dear, that's cute, but we could eat in any restaurant we want to! Rich, remember?" she said. I looked disappointed but I immediately put on a straight face. "Yeah, okay." I said. Nudge clapped her hands and they continued talking. Thirty minutes later, I rubbed the back of my neck and then said, "I got to go guys. I'm going to prepare for our dinner. By the way, where are we having it?" I asked. Nudge smiled. "Don't worry, honey. We'll pick you up." She said. I gave her my address and then I left.

Before I got far, I heard Fang ask, "Can I bring Tracy? I would want to introduce her to all of you." I got angry when he said that. It was going to be our reunion and it would stay that way. "NO!" I yelled back. I felt their glances toward me and then I was too far away to hear anything now.

I arrived at my apartment and kicked one of my pillows that was on the floor. I was so angry at – I don't know who I was angry with. But I am so angry I could kill someone. I feel like knocking two people's lights out. I took a really deep breath and laid on my bed. I grabbed the pillow I kicked and put it on my face and shrieked. I wanted to scream so loud and never talk to anyone. I was rethinking about going to the dinner. Why did I have to bring it up?! I stood up and got dressed in my best dress. It wasn't actually a dress. I wore a light blue shirt with a black jacket and somewhat skinny black jeans. Yep, that was the best I could manage. Someone buzzed my door so I immediately grabbed a brush and brushed my hair for two seconds then opened the door. Fang was waiting for me outside. "Come on. The owner is not so happy about Nudge's beeping." He said in an upbeat tone. I managed a fake smile. I knew he could see through it. He was still my best friend and it would stay that way. He grabbed my hand and dragged me towards the lobby door.

I got outside and saw Nudge's car. Scratch that, limo. Nudge has a freaking black limo and she wasn't even driving it! She opened her window and said to me, "Like it, Max? Come on!" she chuckled. I did.

If the outside was stunning, then the inside is blindingly awesome. My eyes were so wide it looked like it was going to fall off anytime soon. The seats were made of gorgeous leather and there were lights of different colors, brighter than the one in my apartment. And get this – it has a flat screen TV inside! I don't even have a small TV in my apartment! I took a deep breath. "Nudge? You own this thing?" I asked in a voice full of surprise. She nodded. "Yeah. Want it? I have more of those. This is the worst one in my cars, anyway." She said. Worst car? This "car" is better than my stinking apartment! I could practically live in this and not pay for it! I laughed. "Nudge! This car is better than my apartment! I don't have a TV there or a working light bulb!" I laughed. They all did too. The laughter died out when I asked Fang where he lived. "I live with my adopted parents." He said. "Oh right." I said.

Everyone in the flock got successful lives – Angel and Gazzy found their real parents and didn't think they were mutant freaks, Nudge and Iggy are married and are stinking rich and Fang was adopted, has proper education and he has a wonderful girlfriend – except me. I got the hard life. Well, duh, as always. Even in my saving the world life, I got the crusts in the bread. Generally, I have never felt paradise in my life. Ever. I have never relaxed one muscle in my entire life! Either my life is coming to an end, or my job is. Either way, my life basically sucks. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. "You okay?" Fang asked. _Maybe. If you break up with your pretty face girlfriend!_ I thought to myself evilly. What is wrong with me? Oh right. I'm Maximum Ride the invincible and selfish one. I faked another smile. "Yeah. I'm great." I lied. He didn't seem convinced. Of course. He asked me in his eyes what was going on with me. I replied "nothing". He didn't believe me. He gave me a look that said, "We're going to talk about this and I'm not going to forget." I rolled my eyes. _Yeah, like I'll tell you to break up with your girlfriend. _I'm not that low. Yet.

We arrived in a restaurant that was practically made of solid gold. The inside was chilly and there were chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. I blinked several times to make sure I wasn't dreaming. I took a deep breath then I saw the woman behind the podium smirk at my looks. I glared at her. I looked at the other people in the restaurant and they were wearing gowns, dresses and the men wore tuxedos! Even Fang wore a stupid suit! I was the only one in this restaurant wearing jeans. I looked at Nudge. "You could've told me to look nice." I whispered. She just laughed. "What do you expect? That I'm going to let you eat in a cheap diner?" she chuckled.

This was the very first time in my life where I had become conscious of how I looked like. I looked so stupid compared to everyone else and I swear I saw a lot people laughing at me. If only I could punch their faces real hard. I want to see who's going to laugh. I smirked at them. I tried to ignore the faces they made at me, but I couldn't take it! I ran over to Nudge, knocking over a waiter bringing a glass of wine. "Oops, sorry." I said. "Nudge! I need to talk to you!" I told her and then I dragged her with me towards the bathroom.

The bathroom was extremely fancy. I hear violins and everything was gold! There were chandeliers too. And – the bathroom is bigger than my apartment! I bet the food costs more than my rent and salary put together. "Nudge! I need your help! I know this is going to be a big favor, but I need your help!" I told her. She was chuckling a bit. "I knew you'd say that." She opened her bag and pulled out a sparkly silver dress, silver stilettos, a huge brush (seriously. It looks bigger than my head!), pins, hairspray and lots of makeup. My eyes widened. "I think I'm changing my mind." I said, hyperventilating. She laughed more. "Don't worry. This'll be fast." She said and the makeover begins.

Nudge threw away my old clothes. Literally. She dressed me in the silver dress she brought out and made me wear the stilettos. How do women live with this? I felt so vulnerable and tall but unbalanced. "Nudge, I hope you're not making me look like an idiot." I said. "No, silly. I'm making you look like the Cinderella of the night." She said. I rolled my eyes. "Now for your hair." She said. She brushed my hair and it felt painful! I don't totally brush my hair, just fix it a bit. Nudge struggled while brushing my hair. "Dammit Max! When did you last brush your hair? What shampoo do you use? Do you even use shampoo?" she asked me. I looked at her guiltily. I just smiled. She shook her head and continued brushing my tangled mane.

A few minutes later, my hair looked amazing. Nudge put some pins at the side, letting some of my bangs fall in front. I took a deep breath. The makeover stage was not delightful, but this was. I admit that I do look amazing. I smiled at Nudge. "Thanks –" she cut me off. She waved her finger right to left then said, "We're not done. We haven't even touched your face!" she said. Oh God, no. Makeup?!

My face felt sticky and wet. I opened my eyes when Nudge allowed me to do so. There was a really beautiful girl in the mirror. I looked behind me and saw no one else. I can't believe that was me! I looked really gorgeous. Wait, did I just say that to myself? Nudge laughed. "Max, you could be the most beautiful person in the world if you actually fix yourself." She told me. "I don't want to be Ms. Earth! I just want to look like I belong in this restaurant. For once." I said. She grabbed my hand and dragged me back into the restaurant.

I sat on my chair beside Fang and when he looked at me, I blushed. He stared at me like I stared at him when I saw him back in the cave. I smiled. "Max, you look – beautiful." He said and blushed when he said it. I blushed even more. "Thanks." I said. Nudge smiled at me. I mouthed "Thanks" to her and she winked.

The food was great and there was a great number of it. It smelled amazing and the plates were huge. Did I mention that the silverware here is made of gold? I thought I was going to pass out, but I didn't, thank God.

It was two o'clock in the morning already, so Angel and Gazzy had to go. "Goodbye Angel, goodbye Gazzy!" I kissed their cheeks and they left. The rest of us, me, Fang, Iggy and Nudge, went to a mall that was open for twenty-four hours. We just walked around and talked and shared laughs. We tried to spend as much time together as possible, because we don't know when we'll ever see each other again. Nudge brought us to a candy shop and she bought a lot of candy. She gave some to me and Fang and she shared hers with Iggy. Nudge's phone thing (I think it was a Blackberry) beeped. She answered a call and said a lot of yeses and in the end she said, "I'll be right there." Iggy asked her what was up and she said, "Guys, sorry, we have to run. My manager wants to talk to me immediately." I frowned a bit and said, "Alright. Bye Nudge, bye Iggy. Thanks for the dinner. It was awesome." I said. Then I whispered into Nudge's ear, "Thanks for the makeover too." She laughed. "No problem. We could do that more often you know? Just give me a call." She said and gave me a calling card with her number and Iggy's number on it. I smiled in gratitude and they left.

Fang and I were left together walking around the mall at 3 o'clock in the morning. "So Max, what was up with you?" he asked seriously. There was really no going around this. "I just missed you guys." I lied. He wasn't buying it. Well, duh, he was Fang. He stopped walking and I did too. He looked at me in the eye and leaned in really close, making me hyperventilate a little bit. "What is going on?" he asked me and I fainted. Yep, because I'm really awesome. _Maybe if you leaned a wee bit away I might be still conscious._ But dammit, he had to be freaking hot.

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**Reviews! :) I hope you liked it. No, LOVED it. **


	4. Decide

**Guys! Here's my chapter four. Hope you'll like it. You might think that it's kind of rushed, but no. I'm just feeling thoughtful today. Read and review!**

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I opened my eyes and woke up on a sofa I have never seen before. I looked around and I saw a homey house. There was a lot of nice furniture and it was spacey.

"Max? What happened to you?" a voice asked. I looked behind me to see who it was and it wouldn't take a genius to figure it out.

Fang. I looked at him questioningly. "Why did you bring me here? I'm betting that this is your house." I said. He nodded. "Yeah, this is where I live now. I brought you here to introduce you to my parents and – I tried to bring you to your apartment but the owner hates me. I don't know why, so I decided not to push him or I might forcibly kill him." He chuckled. I smiled. "So where are they?" I asked. "They're asleep. It's three-thirty in the morning, remember?" he said. That's when I realized what he wants to do. "Where am I going to sleep?" I asked. He pointed towards the front door. "Outside." He smiled. I laughed and hit him with a pillow from the sofa. "No really! Where?" I asked. "On a mat. You could stay in the living room or in my room. It's your choice." He said. He sat down beside me and asked in a more serious tone, "So tell me. What was up with you?" he asked. I swallowed. Why can't he forget it? Then he said, "Max." I looked at him and he looked at me. Real close.

"Don't you trust me?" he asked. I was hyperventilating again! Please don't make me faint. I took a deep breath and said, "I do. But I don't know how to say this to you." I said in a hushed tone. He pressed his lips together then he leaned closer and then he put his hand behind my neck and kissed me.

I didn't want to push him away, but at the same I time I wanted to. It felt really good, yet bad. He kissed me really intently but I pushed him away. "No." I said. He looked confused. "You have a _girlfriend_, remember?!" I said in a loud voice. He took a deep breath and look at me. "Max. I can't believe that this is about my girlfriend. That was your problem all along?" he said in an icy tone. I swallowed. Way to go, Max! I looked down and tears started to build up in my eyes. Fang tilted my head up, facing him. "Yes, I have a girlfriend. But you're always my most important girl. I would kill her if it was the only way to make you smile." He said in a softer tone and then hugged me really tight. I hugged him back. Dammit, Max! You're being selfish! Stop it! I looked at Fang and said, "No. Don't dump her. If she makes you happy, I'm happy." I said. He looked at me for a long time, probably trying to figure out if I was lying or not. I think he didn't see through my mask. Then suddenly, he smiled evilly. "To make sure you're not lying, I'm going to introduce her to you tomorrow – I mean later. If you react badly, I'm breaking up with her." He said. No, Fang, please don't do this to me! I took in a really deep breath and then said, "No. Please. Don't break up with her." I begged. "We'll see." He said, then he leaned in to kiss me again. This time, I didn't have any urge to pull away, only to get closer. I wrapped my arms around him and he did too. It lasted for about a minute when we let go of each other, panting. I closed my eyes and said, "Alright, can we not do that anymore? I feel really guilty." I said. He laughed. "Fine. C'mon, let's go to sleep." He said then added, "by the way, where do you want to sleep?" he asked me. I looked at him and said, "Where d'ya think?" He chuckled and put his arm around me while going up to his room.

I think Fang was already asleep because the room was quiet already. Well, Fang is quiet. His room is mostly colored black or gray. I laughed. Until now, he still didn't change. I rolled on my mat, which by the way is more comfortable than my bed in the apartment. I couldn't sleep. Things just happened too quickly today – I met up with the flock that I separated seven years ago and their lives are fabulous. Then I found out Fang has a girlfriend which made me _jealous, _I admit. Then he kissed me! Two times, even if he has a girlfriend. To make it all worse, he's going to introduce her to me in a few hours! Things in my life are just going too quickly that it feels like its slapping me in the face. I closed my eyes and tried to think about other stuff. Oh right. The only thing in my life besides the flock is my stupid job! I grabbed the pillow Fang gave me and put it on my face murmuring cusses. Plus, I don't have clothes to change into, so I'll have to sleep with this silver dress Nudge gave me! This is so great. If you can't sense the sarcasm, then you're stupid.

A warm hand held my shoulder, shaking me. "Max? It's time for breakfast." Fang said. I yawned and stretched and I saw him looking really groggy. I chuckled. "I haven't seen you look tired in ages." I said. He smiled. "Well, school takes up your energy, more than flying does." He said. I stood up and when I saw my dress, I moaned. "I should've gotten clothes in my apartment. I feel really idiotic wearing a nightdress in the morning." I said. He laughed. "You still look beautiful though." He said. I smirked. We went downstairs and I saw a couple.

The woman was very pretty but not tall but the man was really tall. They looked at me when I got downstairs and said, "You must be Max." The woman said then shook my hand. "It's nice to meet you." She said. The man did the same. Then she said, "My name is Joanna Williams and this is my husband, Ethan." I smiled. "Nice to meet you too, Mr. and Mrs. Williams." I said.

Fang showed me to the dining room and I sat down beside him. Mrs. Williams made eggs and bacon – the usual breakfast in an American house, I think. I ate my breakfast and thanked Mr. and Mrs. Williams for letting me stay in their home and for the delicious breakfast. "You could visit anytime, alright?" she said. I smiled and said yes. I was going to leave their house, get changed and meet Fang at the park nearby. He asked his girlfriend to come there so he could introduce us. I thought it was a stupid idea, but I don't want to question Fang. Before I left, Fang called after me and said, "Don't be overdressed. You might make Tracy conscious about herself." He said. I laughed and rolled my eyes. "Like that'll happen." I said then he leaned in again, probably to kiss me again but I put my finger to his lips and shook my head. He understood so he just hugged me. I left their house and went back to my apartment.

"What to wear?!" I murmured to myself. I looked at my closet and stared at my clothes. I grabbed an ordinary pink shirt and a pair of black jeans. After dressing up, I combed my hair for 5 freaking minutes! My hair does look pretty when I fix it. But who cares? I looked at my watch (YES I have a watch) and its ten o'clock already. I'm supposed to meet Fang and pretty face at the park at ten thirty. I ran outside the apartment and just walked towards the park.

I was almost there when I saw Fang and Ms. Pretty Face sitting on a bench, holding hands. _Keep your cool, Max, _I thought to myself. I'm not going to act badly. Behave! I took a step forward but stopped when I saw little Ms. Pretty Face holding Fang everywhere. I mean _everywhere!_ I'd rather not mention where. The next thing I know was I was on top of little Ms. Pretty Face strangling her until she was unconscious. My eyes widened and I let go of her and stood up and ran away, tears falling from my face.

I arrived in my apartment and I jumped on my bed, lying my stomach and cried my heart out. I don't know why I did that, I don't even know _how._ If I knew that I would do that, I would stop myself because I know that Fang is going to kill me! I need to talk to Nudge.

I grabbed the old telephone and dialed Nudge's number. There were a few rings then a voicemail said, "You've reached Nudge! I'm busy right now probably looking pretty, so leave a message after the beep!" BEEP.

"Nudge? It's Max. I need your help. I need to talk to you. Please call, ASAP." I said, my voice cracking. I put down the phone then it rang. How appropriate. I answered.

"Max?! What is it? Do you want me to come over?!" Nudge yelled. I shook my head even if she can't see it. "No, it's okay." I said. I swallowed and then I said, "Here's what happened. I could trust you with anything, right?" I took a deep breath then Nudge said, "Of course, Max." I swallowed again, trying to keep my voice in control. I told her the whole story and she didn't say a thing. When I said her name two times, she said, "Oh my God. I can't believe Fang would do that to you!" in an angry tone. "I kind of liked it, but I felt guilty." She laughed. "Max, if you want Fang, go get him. If you don't then don't react. You can't have both ways." She said. I took a really deep breath and said, "The worst part is, I think I killed his girlfriend." I said in a low voice. She was quiet for a minute. "I bet Fang hates me. He didn't expect me to kill his girlfriend, just react badly!" I practically yelled. "Max, I doubt it that Fang's mad at you. He loved you, loves you and always will. He even said it himself. He would kill Tracy if it was the only way to make you smile. But you were the one who killed her." She said with a little chuckle. I smiled a bit. "Thanks, Nudge! You're the best. Have fun in Hollywood." I said. "I will." She giggled, then I put down the phone.

I laid on my bed, my eyes still sore from crying. I felt a little guilty from killing Fang's girlfriend (I think you've caught up that I don't like saying her name) and from kissing Fang. I closed my eyes when someone rung the doorbell. I stood up, fixed myself a bit and opened the door.

"Delivery." A man's voice said. His face was covered with flowers. A big bouquet, I tell you. I was confused. "Who gave this? Or maybe you have the wrong apartment." I said. The guy laughed. He put down the flowers and I saw his face.

It was the most gorgeous face I have ever seen.

Oh right.

It was Fang.

I looked down, so he wouldn't see me. "This isn't the hospital. Your girlfriend's in the hospital and I bet her mom is filing a case on me." I said in a low voice. I took a deep breath then he said, "I'm not giving this bouquet to Tracy. That would be wasting money. It's for you." He handed me the large bouquet and went inside my apartment, even if I didn't let him. The bouquet was beautiful and it smelled good and expensive. "How much did you spend on this?" I asked. He laughed. "Max, when someone gives you a gift, you don't ask them how much it costs." He said informatively. I put the lovely bouquet on my bed and sat down there too. Fang sat beside me and said, "You're right. Your apartment stinks. Literally." He said. I chuckled a bit. He put his arm around me and I just went with it. "Tracy's not my girlfriend anymore." He said, then he looked at me mischievously. "Do you want to ditch this apartment and come live with me?" he asked. I wanted to, but a part of me thinks it's not right. I took a deep breath and then I suddenly remembered what Nudge said. _Max, if you want Fang, go get him. If you don't, then don't react. You can't have both ways ._I took another deep breath, thinking if I do want him or not.

It's not really that hard to figure out. Let me give you a hint: Fang was sitting down innocently, waiting for my response. My response: I lunged at him and kissed him real intently. Emphasis on real.

Still can't figure it out? Have your brain checked. Seriously.

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**Not really my favorite chapter, how about you? What did you think? Should I write more or not? REVIEW! :D (Jeez, I'm so desperate.)**


	5. Guilty Pleasure

**Hey!**

**Yeah, It's chapter five.**

**Umm, clarifications? Max said, "The worst part is, I _think_ I killed his girlfriend." **

**Thanks. So I'm sorry for the misunderstanding. Alright?  
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**NOTE: If you see any typo's, please point it out NICELY. Hopefully, this would be a better chapter.  
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_I was almost there when I saw Fang and Ms. Pretty Face sitting on a bench, holding hands. __Keep your cool, Max, _I thought to myself. I'm not going to act badly. Behave! I took a step forward but stopped when I saw little Ms. Pretty Face holding Fang everywhere. I mean _everywhere!_ I'd rather not mention where.

_I turned around and decided to leave, but something made me change my mind and turn back around.  
_

_I ran towards them in full speed and pushed her away from Fang. Fang was yelling my name to stop but I didn't listen._

_The next thing I know was I was on top of little Ms. Pretty Face strangling her until she was unconscious. My eyes widened and I let go of her and stood up and ran away, tears falling from my face._

I suddenly woke up from my nightmare (although it really happened), breathless.

I looked around and didn't see anyone else in the room. I expected to see Fang there, but he wasn't.

What did I do?!

I took a fast hot shower, grabbed my coat and left my apartment. I ran towards the hospital, where the smell of antiseptics was killing me (I still can't believe I'm doing this) and grabbed a few flowers from a vase.

I asked the nurse the way to Tracy's room but she said there were a lot of Tracy's. I described her. Strangled, blond hair, blue eyes, tall and a teenager. The nurse brought me to a big room and I went inside.

Oh my God - the smell was worse in here. I looked at the bed, and Tracy was right there. She opened her eyes and said, "Fang?". He probably didn't visit her yet. I wonder why. When she figured out who I am, she began to yell at me to go away. I was startled, but I'm not going out until I'm done with what I'm supposed to do.

"Look, I'm sorry! I didn't know what went over me, alright?" I said, my voice cracking. She ignored what I said and told her mom, which was beside her, to make me leave. I quickly put the flowers on the bedside table and then I ran outside.

When I got outside of the hospital, I looked back and thought to myself, _I'm sorry. Please forgive me._ I started to walk back to my apartment which was still a few kilometers away, giving me lots of time to think.

I passed by the park then I suddenly had horrifying flashbacks. Her face full of horror, Fang's face of grief and worry and my anger and stupidity. Why did I have to do that?! Tears started to blur my vision, so I decided to ride a taxi instead of walking back.

When I arrived in my apartment, I quickly ran into the bathroom and took a hot shower.

It felt good. It felt really good. It relaxed me a bit. Just a little. The warm water falling on my head and cleansing my face was just so.. relaxing. It was like a waterfall.

After my shower, I jumped onto my bed and closed my eyes, trying to get some rest. It was somewhere around 2 o'clock in the afternoon and my shift was at 8 so I took a short nap. It would only take a few minutes..

I felt movement beside me, but I figured that it was just me. I looked at my watch and it was - Oh my God, it was 9:30! I quickly sat upright, but suddenly, a voice said, "Could you move a bit?" My eyes widened. I looked beside me and saw Fang.

What?! He was actually talking to me?!

I stood up and pointed at him. "What are you doing here?!" I asked in a menacing voice. He opened his eyes and said, "Why? You don't want me here?" he asked. I swallowed. Do I?

"Umm, No - I mean - I don't know." I said. He made me sit down beside me and pulled me closer to him. "Sorry for bailing out on you last night. I had to leave. I had classes yesterday. I'm so sorry.." he said and then kissed the back of my ear while he said his last word. I shivered and pushed him away a little bit, hoping that I didn't offend him. "Wait - aren't you mad? I don't know if we should, you know.." I said nervously. He looked at me with a confused face. "Mad? But why? You didn't kill her, at least. And as I said - if you react badly, which you did, I'm breaking up with her. I did, so I don't care about her anymore." he said then he laid down on the stupidly uncomfortable bed and pulled me with him. "Oh. But still! I almost killed an innocent girl, which just so happens - " he shushed me by kissing me real hard and then he put his hand behind my neck, and one arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him. I struggled to push him away, but I was overwhelmed. I just went with it. I kissed him back with all my strength and pulled him closer to me too. I felt his lips against mine curl up then he pushed me away a little then he said, "Tracy is my girlfriend not because I loved her at all but because - I only pretended to move on. I've always loved you, Max. Especially when you wore that beautiful silver dress during our dinner. You just simply took my breath away." he said then I blushed and he kissed me again just like 30 seconds ago. I didn't argue.

Let's just say that that evening was like a fantasy.

Oh, and just so you know, my dumb boss called me and fired me for being absent for two days. Great, news huh?

But then - who cares?

I woke up beside Fang on the really stupid and hard-as-rock bed in my apartment. I looked at him and he was still asleep. He looked so freaking inhumanly beautiful. Or 98% humanly beautiful. I chuckled. I pushed him off the bed and heard a THUD! He woke up and looked at me quite pissed. "What was that for?" he asked. I laughed. "I needed some space." I said, trying to put an innocent face but failed. I laughed. He laughed too and got back on the bed. He wrapped his arms around my waist tight. "You do know I don't have a job anymore? I'm going to have to start looking for one again." I sighed. He snuggled me. "You could study with me. Trust me - it's not as bad as it sounds." he promised. School - I suddenly remembered some bad memories I had in school. I shook it off by shaking my head. "No, no thanks." I said then I grabbed my clothes and ran into the bathroom.

My hair was a tangled mess and my face looked refreshed for once. I felt a gust of wind behind me and knew that Fang had followed me inside. "Everything alright?" he asked me. Well, damn, was he hot. Wait, no. I shook my head. "Yeah. I just looked at myself." he raised his eyebrow questioningly. "You looked in the mirror?" he asked, his voice draped in shock. "I think so." I said, just as shocked then we both laughed. He suddenly pulled me closer to him and he was leaning in closer when his phone beeped. Damn phone.

He went into the bedroom (AKA living room, dining room and kitchen) and got his phone from his jacket. He read the message and then he told me, "Max? I gotta go now. They announced to all the students in my school that we're having Saturday classes for the next two weeks." he said, annoyed. He let out a deep breath and then he fixed his clothes and put on his jacket. He came over to me and kissed my forehead. "Goodbye, Max." he said.

He was heading for the door when I caught his wrist. I rolled my eyes at him. "Oh come on! Forehead?! That was so seven years ago, Fang!" I said and then I kissed him. He kissed me back. He smiled and the caressed my cheek for a few seconds. "I love you, Max." he said. We both blushed. Did he just say that? I smiled then he left.

I was still smiling five minutes after he left. I ran into the bathroom once I snapped out. I took another hot shower.

Did I mention how much I adore hot showers? It helps me relax and think. Amazing, huh?

I stepped out of the shower and got dressed. I was going to look for another job today, even if I don't have any of those paper-thingys.

I grabbed my jacket and opened the door.

When I did, I got the biggest surprise of my life.

Or is it?

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**Not really a good chapter, but I hope it made up for the last one. I hope you liked it even a bit. Sorry it's such a short chapter. **

**Review!**


	6. Confrontation

**Hey!**

**This is chapter six! :D**

**Thanks for the reviews! It helps a lot. :) But do I really deserve it? Hmm.  
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**So do me a favor and leave one after this!**

**Sorry it took long, though..  
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My mouth fell open when I saw who was outside. He looked clean, neat and dashing. His face was familiar - it brought me fear and sympathy. I knew him, yes, I did, I just couldn't exactly pinpoint who he was.

"May I come in, Max?" he asked. I definitely knew him. From his large features and husky voice, a bell rings in my head. Then it struck me.

"Jeb?" I asked nervously. He chuckled. My eyes widened. Why is he in my apartment?

"No." he said. I could've sworn that he was Jeb. A younger version though..

"Oh my God, Ari?!" I asked, awestruck. He smiled at me. God, he looked a lot like Jeb, his father, the traitor. Yeah, I guess I couldn't get over that.

My eyes looked like it was about to fall out. He was giggling in satisfaction, I guess.

"Yeah, it's me." he said normally, as if we were both normal. Then I remembered : Ari?!

I suddenly went into my fighting stance, ready to knock him down. I haven't gotten much practice ever since I started living the life the flock wanted. I narrowed my eyes.

"What are you doing here?" I asked icily. He raised his hands in innocence and said, "I - I'm not here to hurt you." he said, sorrow in his eyes. "I'm sorry." he said.

I didn't relax from my position. Who knows what he has in mind? Oh right. Angel does. But she's not here in the moment. I'll have to make use of what I can.

"I - I'm really sorry. I want us to be.. friends again." he said. There was something about his voice that crept me out when he said "friends". Suspicion was crawling all over me. I didn't know whether to trust him or not. He did really bad things to us before. A simple apology just couldn't make up for that. Still..

As if reading my mind, Ari asked me, "Do you want to have lunch together? I hope that'll make up for what I did to you before.." he asked me. I raised my eyebrow in suspicion. "You want to have lunch with me?" I asked in shock. "First, you want to kill me. Then you want to have a normal lunch with me?" I asked. He looked down in embarrassment. "I guess. I told you - I'm really sorry." He said, his eyes pleading.

I looked at him and saw his childhood - full of torture and neglect. If you thought _my_ life was horrible, wait till you know how Ari's life had been.

I now relaxed myself and looked at him in sympathy. "Fine. But you promise not to kill me?" I asked jokingly. Although it could happen. He nodded.

"How'd you know where I lived anyway?" I asked. He blushed. "Oh. Well. When you and your flock destroyed Itex, my dad left and headed for you. I wanted to come with him, but he said no. He didn't find you, so I wandered around this little town and saw you, seven years ago. I was um, following you the whole time. I didn't think that you'd even talk to me." he said. I felt guilty - he didn't have proper shelter for the past seven years because Jeb left him and he was too frightened of me. I'm not scary - am I?

"Look. I know that Jeb loved you and I bet that he still does." I said, trying my best to convince him. It wasn't a lie though. He didn't look convinced even one bit. "No he doesn't. All he cares about is his precious flock this, precious flock that! He cares about you more than he cares about me! He never saw the good things I have done, only the bad ones! He doesn't even want me in his life!" he yelled, his eyes full of rage and jealousy. He was fourteen, I guess, but he looked more vulnerable now. His eyes began to fill with tears and he looked really hurt. His whole childhood was full of violence, anger and neglect. It made me feel horrible. I took a deep breath, regaining my courage. He scared me a bit. What if he gets really mad and morphs? He's a lot bigger now.

"I'm quite sure that Jeb lo -" he cut me off and yelled in my face, "do NOT say that! It's not true! It never was, never will! If he did, he would've taken me in! If he did, he would've put posters around looking for me! But did he?! NO!" he yelled. I was frightened now. Ari and I were fighting - not the usual one, but by words. You should know by now that he's winning. I gave up.

"Alright.." I said in a hushed tone. "I'm sorry too." I said. He looked at me and saw what he did to me. His eyes suddenly looked softer and calm and then he said, "Oh. I'm sorry too. I didn't mean to scare you.." he said in a tone just as hushed as mine. This was something I never expected to happen in my life. Ari was saying sorry to me and I was saying sorry to him too. I never knew it was possible. He took a deep breath and suddenly hugged me. Words cannot describe how weird I feel right now. Shocked? Awestruck? Dumbfounded? Put it all together and it still wouldn't be complete. "I'm so sorry, Max." he whispered in my hair. This has to be a dream.

But it wasn't.

I sat on the soft, luxurious chair in a fancy restaurant I never knew existed.

It was so weird. I'm in a restaurant, not a diner.

Weirder, I'm eating something French.

Weirdest, I was eating normal lunch across from Ari.

Am I crazy or does this seem like a date?

I kept quiet while I ate this something-ala-french and Ari ate his food too. We were still mutants, so we ate like mutants. "Fancy" people around us were staring at us, making disgusted faces at how we ate. I felt embarrassed, so I put the napkin on my lap and ate slower.

NOT.

Instead, I ate faster and more.. disgusting, if you may. The people around us were so grossed out that some of them left without finishing their food. The manager glared daggers at me. I smiled and waved with something in my mouth.

"I have to leave in a few minutes. I'm still looking for another job." I took a deep breath, remembering that this new life I chose was not all about flying, eating, sleeping and surviving. I was about to say something about work when Ari said, "Fang is not your boyfriend, is he?" he asked curiously. What was he up to?! I thought suspiciously. "Umm, I don't know?" I said, unsure of the answer. I really didn't know though. He mouthed the word "Oh." then said, "So is it alright if we have dinner tonight?" he asked me uneasily. "Isn't this lunch enough? Plus, you're probably spending a fortune. How'd you even get the money?" I asked. He smiled dopily. "Well. I'm actually the head of this restaurant." he said. My eyes widened. Then why the heck was that guy giving me look that meant, "Get out" when he knew I was eating with his "boss"? And I thought he was poor! Yay, more confusions. I shrugged. "I'm not sure. I think Fang has- " he cut me off again and said, "Max, you're the most beautiful and amazing person I have ever known." he said, a weird smile on his face. Shocked, awestruck, dumbfounded, surprised - whatever.

All I know was that brothers don't say that to sisters.

So, are we still in that category?

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**Yay! Chapter Six is done.. kind of short, but I liked it. Not sure if you would, too.**

**Anyways. Review!**

**BTW.**

**In my fanfic, the third book never happened and Ari doesn't have that expiration date anymore. **

**If there's any confusions, please ask! Thanks.**

**Hope you enjoyed! :)  
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	7. Where Could She Be?

**Oh wow. I haven't posted in like, a millienium.**

**Anyway.. I hope you'll like this chapter!**

**By the way. I'm planning on making another fanfic (still MR) and I hope you'll still read it. **

**I'm also deciding to end this one..  
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Ari was smiling dreamily at me, as if I was ice cream and he was a beggar boy. Okay, weird saying. He leaned forward and reached for my hand. Before he was able to grab it, I pulled it back and then I stood up so abruptly that the table fell on him. "Thanks for the lunch!" I yelled while I was running towards the exit.

That was the most awkward lunch I have ever had. I mean Ari?! Was it even possible he would do that?! I tried to remove those thoughts from my mind so I walked towards my apartment which was still a kilometer away. Lots of time to think, huh?

Taking a deep breath and closing my eyes, I tripped on the sidewalk and well, tripped. I fell face down on the _road_ with like, billions of cars passing by each second. I tried to stand up quickly but it was too late. When I looked to my left a HUGE truck was going to run me over.

Goodbye, world.

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*FANG'S POV*

I got home when I saw the horrible news in the TV.

_I stepped on the front porch when I heard my mom yell, "Fang! Come here, quick!" I rushed over to see what happened then she pointed towards the TV._

_The news said : "Witnesses told us that a young woman tripped on the sidewalk," Stupid Max! "..then got ran over by a truck. When the truck passed by, her body wasn't there anymore. Her body was nowhere to be found and there were no traces of blood. A mysterious .." I stopped listening to the news and quickly ran towards Max's apartment._

_I got there with my chest heaving. I opened the door forcefully and looked for Max inside. I yelled her name when her neighbor heard me. "Are you looking for Max? I heard she disappeared this afternoon. I didn't see her go back here. I'm sorry." she said. I looked down. Why had she been so careless? She has battled ten thousand Erasers, lived through experimentation but yet in the end she disappeared because she got ran over by a truck. How ironic. "Thank you." I murmured then I ran back towards our house._

_My mom waited for me in the living room. "Did you find her? Any of her whereabouts?" she asked. I just looked at her glumly. "I'm so sorry.." she whispered. I ran up to my room and banged the door shut. I kicked off my shoes and jumped on my bed. I resisted the urge to cry; it's just Max. It's not the end of the world._

_But actually, it is._

I woke up to the sound of my phone ringing. I got 33 missed calls. From one person.

Nudge.

I answered her call and heard her soft voice quivering.

"Fang? Where's M-Max?" she asked then she sobbed even more. I could barely hear myself. I think I heard Iggy shush her because she forced herself to be quiet.

"I-I don't know.." I said, feeling guilty for not having the answer. This time, I wanted to cry with Nudge. She cried more when I said that I didn't know where Max was.

"I hope she's safe. I hope she's alive.." she murmured. "Me too." I said. Then gaining my courage, I said, "Nudge? You and Iggy call Angel and Gazzy. All of you come here." I paused then, "We're going to look for Max."

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Nudge was wearing short gold shorts, white shirt, brown shades and a huge hat that was big enough to cover two people. Angel was wearing jeans and a shirt like Gazzy, Iggy was wearing jeans, a white shirt and a jacket. I was wearing a black shirt and black jeans. The usual.

"Where could she be?!" Nudge kept repeating while moving around was talking on his phone, probably canceling meetings, concerts, et cetera. Angel's eyes were sore red from crying and Gazzy was staying strong. Good for him. "How do we know where to look?" Gazzy asked. Man. That was Max's job. To think of the idea. "Maybe we should talk to the last person she met up with. Oh, wait, that was me." I said. Iggy's eyes lit up. "Maybe not. Maybe she met up with someone. She tripped on the sidewalk right? Maybe she came from somewhere." he suggested. That seemed like a good idea.

We all went back to Max's room and looked for things that might give us an idea where she could've went. I actually felt a little jealous - who could've Max met up with? I focused back then Nudge yelled, "Oh my God!!" Everyone looked at her and asked, "Did you find anything?" we all asked eagerly. "No. But these clothes are so .. eww! I am DEFINITELY buying her new clothes once we find her." We shook our heads and I felt irritated. How could she think of that at a crisis like this?

"Guys.." Iggy said. We all came to him and I said, "This better be not about her bedsheets." He handed me a paper and I saw what it read in Max's handwriting.

_Lotus Restaurant 12:00 - lunch with Ari_

The last person she met was Ari.

If he dared hurt her, I'm making sure he'll never see the light again.

* * *

"Thanks for saving me. But please tell me who you are." I said. I heard him chuckle a familiar laugh.

"I know you know me." he said, then he stepped out of the shadows and I saw his familiar face.

"You.. but.. how?" I stuttered. He laughed again. "There are some things you don't know about me, Max."

* * *

**Short chapter. Hope you liked it!**

**Please look out for my new MR fanfic!**

**Keiraa :)  
**


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